


He's In Love With The Boy

by dazzling_icer (centz)



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-09
Updated: 2012-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-29 06:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/316702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/centz/pseuds/dazzling_icer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke is in love, and Holden doesn't approve.</p><p>Fic based on the song "She's In Love With The Boy" by Trisha Yearwood</p>
            </blockquote>





	He's In Love With The Boy

Luke Snyder was sitting on the steps of the old front porch of the Snyder Farmhouse, watching the chickens peck the ground. He sighed deeply, resting his head in his hands. There wasn’t a whole lot going on that night in the small town of Oakdale, and Luke was bored. He was, after all, staring mindlessly at the multitude of chickens that currently occupied the front yard of the farm. How much more bored could you get?

 

There was something very mesmerizing and mechanical about their actions that caused the birds to all blur together in a sea of white and brown. Luke was looking at them…but not really seeing. His mind had drifted off elsewhere to…

 

 _BEEP! BEEP!_

 

The sound of an old car horn broke through his thoughts, and Luke snapped his head away from the chickens. Coming up the old dirt road in front of his house was his boyfriend, Noah Mayer, driving his beat-up Chevy truck. The old red pick-up was splashing through the mud from last night’s rain storm, and the car horn was still beeping enthusiastically.

 

Luke couldn’t stop the giant smile from forming on his boyish face. He jumped up off the steps and ran through the large mass of chickens toward the road to greet his boyfriend.

 

Noah and him had been dating for almost three months now, and Luke felt like he didn’t even know what the word happiness even meant until his tall, dark, handsome brunet walked into his life. But despite his euphoric joy in dating Noah, Luke knew his family wasn’t too happy. Namely, his father.

 

Holden Snyder had no qualms about his son’s sexual orientation…that is not at all where the problems began. It was when Winston Mayer and his son Noah moved to Oakdale four months prior to take over old man Hershall’s old dairy farm down the road. To Holden, Winston was likeable enough. Hard worker, strong, and disciplined enough to be a farmer. It was his son though, that he had not taken well too.

 

Luke believed that Holden took Noah’s quiet, strong, and slightly rebellious demeanor as a sign of unintelligence and disobedience. Which Luke, who had come to find out later, realized was very far from the truth. Or it could be the fact that Noah was three years Luke’s senior. Luke just finished his last year of high school, and Noah had graduated three years earlier back in his home state of Missouri. Luke could tell that Holden didn’t like that he was dating a boy who was so much older than him. But to Luke, none of that mattered.

 

Luke could see the looks that his father gave Noah whenever he came by the house to pick Luke up, and he heard the many conversations between him and his mother, and it made him sad. He wanted nothing more than for the two most important men in his life to get along and love each other. But with the way things were going, it looked like it was going to take a miracle for Holden to finally accept Noah.

 

He reached the drive way of the farm just as Noah was pulling in. As he was making his way up the dirt path, Noah stuck his head out of the side of the truck and gave Luke a look that clearly displayed how happy he was to see his blonde boyfriend. In that moment, after seeing Noah’s giant smile that was just for him, Luke forgot about his family’s disapproval and about Holden’s acceptance. He was young, and he was happy, and he didn’t care anymore. He knew that he’d follow Noah anywhere if it meant they could be together forever.

 

+++++

 

The sound of a loud car horn caused Holden Snyder to tear his eyes away from his newspaper, and fix them on the window instead. Rising up from his chair in the family room, he made his way over to the window, pushing the lace curtains slightly aside in order to gaze out into his front yard. The curtains were out of the way just in time for Holden to see his son spring up from the front steps and dash through the bungle of chickens pecking at the ground.

 

More car horns sounded and Holden followed it to the road, where an old, rusty red pick-up was making its way through the muck toward his farm. Holden scowled as the truck rounded his drive way and eased toward his son, who was waiting for it on the path.

 

“Holden!” a voice called from the kitchen. The farmer turned his gaze from the window to see his beautiful wife, Lily, stepping into the family room from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “What is that noise?”

 

“It’s that Mayer boy, Lily,” Holden told her, turning back toward the window to see his son’s boyfriend exit his truck just in time for his son to invade his strong arms. “He’s come to see Luke, I guess.”

 

“His name is Noah, Holden,” Lily warned him, coming to stand by her husband. She smiled at the sight of her beautiful son in the arms of the man she knew he loved. “You better get used to saying it, honey, because Luke is not going to give him up.”

 

“Lily, that boy ain’t worth a lick!” Holden argued, pointing out the window. “When it comes to brains he’s got the short end of the stick! He’s not good for our son!”

 

“Holden! That is not true!” Lily scolded him. “Besides, how would you even know? You haven’t made any effort to get to know him.”

 

“And I don’t intend to.”

 

“Sweetie, our son loves Noah! How do you think he’s going to feel when he finds out his own father wants nothing to do with him?”

 

“Luke is too young to know if he’s in love or not,” Holden said. “He’s barely out of high school!”

 

At this, Lily laughed, and patted her husband’s cheek lovingly before shaking her head and walking back toward the kitchen.

 

“Holden, if you can’t see that our son loves Noah, then maybe it’s you who has the short end of the stick!” Lily stopped at the doorway to the kitchen and turned back around to face him. “Mark my words, Holden Snyder…he’s in love with that boy, and I bet you anything that even if they have to run away, he’s going to marry that boy someday.”

 

+++++

 

Luke and Noah were sitting at the drive-in movie theatre, Noah’s truck parked in the very last row. Neither boy even knew what movie they paid to see, for they were too busy holding on to each other to even care about the show.

 

Luke was curled up next to Noah’s side in the cab, with Noah’s arm wrapped tightly around his shoulder. Luke’s left hand was on Noah’s leg, gently massaging it through the denim of Noah’s ratty old jeans. Their lips were moving fluidly against each other, calmly, passionately, lovingly.

 

Luke could feel his lips becoming bruised, but he didn’t care. Moments like these with Noah were priceless and so incredibly worth it. Life was definitely better when he was with his handsome dairy farmer.

 

More timeless moments of sweet kisses, Luke suddenly felt something cold against his left hand. He reluctantly pulled back from Noah’s lips to gaze down at his hand that was still resting atop Noah’s leg. His mouth dropped open, and he gasped at what he saw.

 

“Oh, Noah…” he sighed, tears threatening to fall from his honey-brown doe-eyed orbs.

 

“My high school ring is going to have to do,” Noah whispered softly, sincerely. “Until I can buy you a proper one.”

 

Luke glanced down once more at the silver band of metal on his finger, and smiled widely in amazement. This man really was it for him.

 

He quickly shifted so that his body was fully facing Noah. He wrapped his arms around Noah’s neck, and hastily and gratefully reconnected their mouths together. Noah’s hands held tight to Luke’s back, and he smiled into what was quickly becoming the best kiss he’s ever had. When he felt a tinge of cold against his scalp where Luke’s fingers were currently tangled in his hair, he made a promise to himself. He was going to make Luke happy for the rest of his life, or he would die trying.

 

One last press of lips, and Noah pulled back until the tips of their noses were touching, their foreheads pressed together, minds melding into one.

 

“Marry me, Luke,” Noah softly whispered, his sweet breath intoxicating Luke’s senses.

 

“Yes, yes, yes!” Luke whispered frantically, happily, into Noah’s mouth, before eagerly reconnecting them for a kiss that felt like safety and love and forever.

 

+++++

 

Holden Snyder was waiting anxiously in the family room, bouncing his leg up and down while he sat in his favorite chair. It was half past twelve in the morning, and his son had still not come home. To say that he was angry was an understatement, and he knew that it was all that Mayer boy’s fault. He knew when they finally came home, him and that boy were going to have words. Holden already knew exactly what he was going to say, and he was just itching for his words to become known. He was practically ready to pounce.

 

As soon as he heard the sounds of an old truck coming down the road, Holden wasted no time in jumping up from his chair and flinging himself to the door. He ripped the old wooden door open, not really caring if it fell off of its hinges, and stepped out onto the front porch. The porch light was bright, and it provided enough light for Holden to see the truck come to a stop in the driveway. Holden saw the Mayer boy step out of the truck and quickly run to the other side to open the door for his son. He watched as Luke stepped gingerly out of the old pick-up and immediately took the hand of the other boy. The two were smiling brightly as they made their way to the front of the house, and Holden realized that they must not have seen him standing there, or else those smiles wouldn’t be plastered on their young faces.

 

When the two boys finally reached the bottom of the steps, they finally looked up, and to Holden’s sheer delight, promptly stopped smiling and laughing. Holden caught the gaze of his son, and Luke was staring back at him like he had seen a ghost. He knew he was in big trouble.

 

“Dad…” Luke began hesitantly, trying to stay calm. “What umm…What are you still doing up?”

 

“Waiting for you,” Holden responded, and Luke could detect anger in his voice. The air outside suddenly became very tense, and Luke gripped Noah’s hand tighter.

 

The silence broke with the sound of the screen door opening and closing. Luke looked over his father’s shoulder to see his mother step up next to him on the porch. She was wearing her long lavender bathrobe and slippers, indicating she must have just been woken up from her sleep.

 

“What is going on out here?” Lily asked the three men standing outside. She looked at the two young boys still standing at the bottom of the steps, both of their faces looking frightened and hesitant. She switched her gaze to that of her husband’s and anger in his crystalline blue gaze. “Holden?”

 

“The boys just got in, Lily,” Holden told her, voice even, but Lily knew he was masking his anger well.

 

“Oh, I see…” Lily said, still looking cautiously between her husband and her son. “Well, why don’t we all just go inside and I’ll make some tea and we can all just talk…”

 

“Actually, young man,” Holden interrupted, now forcefully addressing his son. “Why don’t you go on up to your room…while Junior here and I can have a little talk?”

 

Luke knew the tone in his father’s voice, and he knew that it wasn’t a request, it was an order. He looked up at Noah, their eyes sharing a silent conversation.

 

“Will you be alright?”

 

“I’ll be fine, Luke.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“I’m positive. Now go…I don’t want you to get into more trouble.”

 

“OK. I love you.”

 

“I know.”

 

One final smile and one last squeeze of his hand, and Luke was heading up the stairs to the porch. He kept his connection with Noah’s hand for as long as he could, and felt empty when it finally broke. He reached the top of the stairs and kissed his mother lovingly on the cheek.

 

“Goodnight, Mom.”

 

“Goodnight, sweetie,” Lily kissed him back. She gave him a small smile that reassured him that she wouldn’t let his father be too hard on Noah. He returned it and then walked over to the front door. He glanced back at Noah, his fiancé, and smiled brightly with a blush on his face. Luke watched as Noah gave him a shy wave, and then he entered the house…leaving Noah alone to face the wrath of his father.

 

Holden waited for his son to disappear through the door before turning back to the Mayer boy.

 

“Let’s go inside, son,” Holden said, and once again, it wasn’t a request.

 

+++++

 

Noah couldn’t ever remember being in a more uncomfortable situation in his life. His own coming out seemed like a cake walk compared to what he was now experiencing.

 

He was sitting on the end of the sofa in Luke’s family room, Luke’s father sitting across from him in his chair. He hadn’t spoken a word to him since Mrs. Snyder retreated into the kitchen to get them all some tea. That was eight minutes ago.

 

Just then, Mrs. Snyder made her way back into the family room from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a cup of tea for each of them. Noah regarded her attire, and felt bad that she had to be woken up from her sleep to make him tea. She offered him a cup and a smile, and he gratefully took them both.

 

Noah took a sip of his tea as Mrs. Snyder handed her husband a cup, which he took and promptly set on the side table. Mrs. Snyder placed the tray down onto the coffee table, and then sat down in the soft chair next to Mr. Snyder’s. Noah took another sip of tea as he waited patiently for anyone to say something.

 

“So,” Mr. Snyder began after what seemed like a lifetime of silence. “I understand that my son is very serious about you.”

 

“Oh, uh…yes sir.”

 

“And I take it the feeling is mutual?”

 

“Very much, sir.”

 

“I see,” Mr. Snyder said, leaning forward in his chair. “And how do you plan on supporting my son?”

 

“Well, sir…” Noah began, shifting forward to the edge of the cushion. “I know I don’t have a lot right now, but I work hard on the dairy farm, and I’ve been saving and…”

 

“And what makes you think that that’s going to be good enough for my son?”

 

“Holden!”

 

“Lily, this man is a bad influence on our son!” Holden was now standing from the chair, shouting at his wife while pointing right at Noah. “He’s nothing but a poor, no-good, selfish…”

 

“Holden, that is enough!” Lily shouted, rising from her chair. “You know, it wasn’t very long ago that you yourself was just a young cowboy, without a single cent to his name! And I was Luke’s age when I fell in love with you! My mother said that you weren’t worth a lick, and when it came to brains you had the short end of the stick! Well she was wrong, and honey, you are too! Luke looks at Noah, exactly like how I still look at you!”

 

Holden froze where he stood. He was not used to Lily raising her voice at him, but even if he was, her words would still have stung just as hard. She was right.

 

Noah stood slowly, looking to level the playing field before him. He carefully cleared his throat before straightening himself up and looking at Mr. Snyder.

 

“Look, sir…I know you don’t like me very much, and I know you don’t trust me. But know this: I am absolutely, positively, 100%, without-a-doubt in love with your son. I love him more than my own life. He makes me feel alive…he makes me feel like there is a reason to keep on living in this broken world. He’s made me feel happier than I can ever remember feeling in my life, and all I want to do is return the favor. And I promise you, for as long as there is air in my lungs I will do whatever it takes to make him happy and keep him safe.”

 

Holden just stared at Noah, letting his words sink in. Looking at the kid, Holden couldn’t help but see himself staring right back. His mind immediately drifted back twenty years to when he and Lily were sneaking off on Saturday nights despite all of the nasty things that Lily’s mother thought about him. She said that he wasn’t good enough, that he could never support her, could never give her what she needed. They didn’t care…relying on only their love to get them through. And now here was this boy, standing in his living room declaring his undying love for his son…and it was like looking straight into a mirror.

 

Holden still remained quiet, lost in the struggles of his past, when he was suddenly brought back by a gentle touch on his arm.

 

“Holden?” Lily’s sweet voice rang. She rubbed her hand up and down his arm, anchoring him and bringing him back. “Honey, are you OK?”

 

He looked at her, staring into her lovely deep eyes…the same eyes that he had fell in love with so long ago. The same eyes he now saw in his son, and he smiled. He let out a deep breath and took Lily into his arms. He tucked his face into her hair and held her steady against his strong frame.

 

“I’m so sorry, Lily,” he whispered to her, not knowing that it was loud enough for Noah to hear. “I’ve been so hard on this young boy, and our son…I didn’t realize that I had turned into your mother.”

 

Lily let out a soft laugh, pulling back from her husband’s arms to cradle his face in her hands.

 

“My mother is going to be so proud when she finds out you said that,” Lily joked, and this time Holden let out a chuckle. “And it’s OK honey…I know you were just being protective of our son. But I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

 

“You’re right,” he sighed, turning from her embrace and looking back at Noah. The young Mayer was still standing in the same spot by the couch, waiting patiently to find out his fate. He crossed the living room and stepped beside the coffee table in order to stand next to the tall brunet.

 

“I’m sorry, son,” Holden told him sincerely. “I have been entirely unfair to you. I’ve been so blinded by my trying to protect my son that I was completely missing out on how much you care about him, and that was wrong. Can you find it in your heart to forgive an old man’s ignorant behavior?”

 

Now it was Noah’s turn to be stunned. He couldn’t believe that the man who was just shooting daggers at him with his eyes, and who was just telling him about what a poor excuse for a human being he was, was now regarding him with kindness, and manning up for his mistakes. Luke had told Noah many stories about how great his father was, and how when he just took the chance to get to know him that he would really love him. Noah was now starting to see why Luke loved his father so much.

 

“Umm, yes, sir,” Noah finally said, smiling softly. “Thank you.”

 

“No, I guess I should be thanking you…for making my son so happy. Can you promise me to take care of him, and protect him, and always be there for him no matter what?”

 

“Yes, sir,” he answered immediately. “You have my word.”

 

“Good! Well then,” Holden smiled at him, sticking out his hand. “I guess I should be the first to officially welcome you into the family…Noah.”

 

Noah smiled fully at hearing his name coming from Mr. Snyder’s mouth, and took his hand and shook it firmly. No sooner had their shake ended when a blur of blonde ran in front of him and barreled right into Mr. Snyder.

 

“Oh, DAD!” Luke was saying, throwing his arms around his father’s neck. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!”

 

“Luke!” Holden laughed, wrapping his own arms around his son’s waist. “Aren’t you supposed to be in bed? Or were you listening behind the doorway the entire time?”

 

Luke pulled back from his father’s embrace and wiped the stray tears from his eyes before answering.

 

“I’m sorry, Dad…I knew I shouldn’t but you honestly didn’t expect me to try and sleep when you were down here giving my boyfriend the third degree?”

 

“No, no, I suppose not,” Holden said, the smile still on his face. But it quickly faded as he continued to address Luke. “Listen, Luke…I owe you an apology as well. I know that my behavior toward Noah was making it harder on you, and that wasn’t fair, to you or to Noah. So I hope that you can accept my apology and know that I just want you to be happy, no matter what.”

 

“Thank you, Dad,” Luke sniffed, wiping another tear from his eye and hugging his father again. When he pulled away he stepped up to Noah and wrapped an arm around his waist, which Noah eagerly returned. “Noah makes me happy. I love him…and it means the world to me to know that you finally accept us.”

 

Lily now joined her husband’s side, mirroring Luke and Noah’s embrace.

 

“We are just glad you are happy, Luke,” Lily said sweetly, smiling at the boys. “You know that that is all we ever wanted for you.”

 

“Thanks, Mom.”

 

“Well, I think it’s time for Noah to go home,” Holden announced, rubbing his hands together. “It’s really late and we have to get up for church in the morning. And I’m sure Winston is wondering where his son is.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Noah agreed. “I better get home. Thank you so much for giving me a chance. I won’t let you down, sir.”

 

Noah and Holden shared one final handshake, before seeing him toward the door.

 

“I’ll walk you to your truck,” Luke said, looking back at his parents to see if it was OK. When he received the nod from both Lily and Holden, he smiled and led Noah outside.

 

Holden stepped up to the window of the living room, and once again pulled back the lacy curtains in order to see outside. Lily came to his side, and rested her head against his shoulder. They both watched in peace as their son jumped into Noah’s arms when they had finally got to Noah’s old red truck.

 

“That was a good thing you did tonight, Holden,” Lily whispered, as she watched her son being pulled into a deep kiss by the taller brunet. “Your acceptance means the world to Luke.”

 

“I know…and you were right…it should have come sooner, but I was just being stubborn. I was refusing to see the truth.”

 

“And what is the truth?” Holden heard the question, but remained silent, still watching his son and his boyfriend outside.

 

“The truth is…I see too much of myself in Noah. And that is how I know I can trust him.”

 

Holden looked at his wife, and they shared a brief smile before he met her lips in a chaste kiss.

 

“You know…you were right about another thing,” Holden said when they broke from their kiss.

 

“Oh, was I?” Lily asked, rising an eyebrow. “What else was I right about?”

 

“That even if they have to run away…,” Holden began, wrapping his arms tighter around the love of his life and repeating something he had heard earlier. “Luke is gonna marry that boy someday.”

 

THE END


End file.
